


Hell Is Other People

by HkHk



Category: Person of Interest (TV), World War Z - Max Brooks
Genre: Alternate Universe - Zombies, Crossover, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-06
Updated: 2017-07-31
Packaged: 2018-12-09 04:30:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11661657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HkHk/pseuds/HkHk
Summary: "Do you think you could have stopped it from happening? The outbreak?"The screen flickered briefly before She replied.NO. ALL I COULD DO WAS PREPARE FOR THE INCOMING STORM.





	Hell Is Other People

**Author's Note:**

> Person of Interest in the World War Z style and world setting.

**[I first learned of the Thornhill Estates when I finally managed to get back to New York after it had been evacuated during the Great Panic. When the government had all but collapsed, Thornhill Estates became a safe zone for those fleeing the zombies. Across the continental United States safe zones appeared doing what the government had failed to do. A year after the Great Panic, the United States Government finally made their movement. The ISA lead the charge along with Thornhill Estates. Historians have suggested that if it were not for Thornhill Estates or the Northern Lights project it would have been a lot worse. Sameen Shaw was one of those major players. It took a lot of convincing to be able to get access to them.**

**I find her standing guard in a playground found within the Thornhill Estates. Even without trying, she looked dangerous like some protective lioness. She is a woman of Persian descent a former government operative. She is shorter than I imagined. The object of her attention was playing a few feet away on the monkey bars. A young female adolescent with brown hair and a dress. Shaw is dressed in all black in worn pre-war clothing. She is armed, of course, barely giving me a once over when I walk over. No doubt she had been aware of my presence for a while and judging by the multitude of surveillance systems nothing is ever missed. The Thornhill Estates created one of the better well defended safe zones saving upwards to a few hundred lives during the Great Panic and a few thousand during. It is now a thriving community that is steadily expanding its borders and reclaiming New York one block at a time. She gestures to me.**

**I follow Ms. Shaw to some benches where we both take a seat. ]**

**Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk to me Ms. Shaw.**

**[She grunts an affirmative.]**

**My name is Max Brooks. I was hoping you could answer a few questions for me. During pre-war times you were an operator in the ISA. From there, you were a crucial figure in securing and protecting Thornhill Estates during the Great Panic. What was going on in your mind during that time? Why did you choose to stay in New York instead of going somewhere else? Your file was quite impressive. Someone with your skill could have done anything or gone anywhere.**

**[Ms. Shaw looks reluctant to share anything. Perhaps I caught her in a bad mood. There was a grumpy expression on her face, her focus elsewhere.]**

How did you get my file? Wait, don't answer.  **[Shaw looks angry a hiss escaping her lips.]** There were rumors about what was going on. I didn't pay attention to operations that I was not part of. Cole did.

**Cole?**

My former partner. Cole had been doing some snooping and tried to meet up with someone on an unsanctioned mission. It got him killed. **[She pauses before continuing.]**  At the time, ISA operatives were scattered across the continental US and overseas. I was told to take a break for a few weeks. Then the Panic hit. I was holed up in my apartment when it happened cleaning my weapons and drinking some scotch. A few good friends hit me up with some information and then I went dark. Luckily my apartment complex was sparsely occupied. At the time I was not looking for company but, it wasn't like I could leave them. 

**Them?**

The people who couldn't leave. I didn't do it out of kindness. I did it because it was the smart thing to do. Sure, I could have survived by myself. I've been in worse places. But there is a reason why we were in teams, why no one operated by themselves. An extra set of eyes and ears helped.   

**How did you get involved with Thornhill Estates?**

I met him and his poorly socialized guard dog while fighting off some zeds. I met Reese first and he had a job offer for me. I took it. They had a good gig going. They just needed some extra hands and expertise to make it really work. I got paid well.  **[Shaw leans forward and whispers.]** Truthfully, I did it for the dog. 

**The dog?**

Bear. He saved our lives on numerous occasions. Without him, we wouldn't have been able to have the early alert system or a means to distract the zeds while on missions. He sleeps with me and Root. 

**[I visibly perk up at this. Root has been a mysterious figure during the Great Panic and after, the physical face of the Thornhill Estates and safe zone. Thornhill Estates had the largest grouping of engineers and scientists, all who had been contacted and contracted prior to the Great Panic.]**

**Who is Root?**

She's an annoyance.  **[Shaw smirked.]** I shot her. 

**You what?**

I shot her. She was being annoying at the time and I really wanted to kill her. Turned out it was the right decision. If it weren't for Root, we probably would be shit out of luck. Harold may have built her but Root understood her. They have a really weird father-daughter relationship. It's kind of creepy.  

**Her?**

Robot Overlord. You may know her by the name of Research from Norther Lights or simply, The Machine. She devised this... **[Shaw indicates to the are around them.]** Created these neat little safe zones for the people who survived. Its like reverse Skynet. Instead of Big Sister trying to kill everyone, she was trying to save them. 

**[Shaw looks at the overcast skies and then at the girl.]**

I have to get Gen her lunch and take Bear on a walk. We'll finish this later. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who should be interviewed next?


End file.
